Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates

May 28, 2015

Hidden rebates, also known as "dealer cash", are bonus rebates given to dealers by the manufacturer every time they sell a certain vehicle. They're very similar to customer cash-back rebates, but instead of YOU getting the rebate, the dealer gets to keep it - all while remaining hidden from the car buyer.

The purpose of hidden dealer rebates is to help unpopular vehicles sell faster without the stigma of large discounts. In theory, dealers will pass the hidden bonus to consumers through a lower purchase price, but if you don't take the time to comparison shop multiple dealers, you may never get the discount.
The following is a list of vehicles with the largest hidden dealer rebates available right now. In addition to the hidden dealer rebates, some also come with traditional cash-back rebates as well.

In order to maximize your chances of getting the hidden dealer rebate, I recommend you use TrueCar and Edmunds Price Promise to see the best prices being offered by local dealers.

Largest Hidden Rebates: 2015 Models

Vehicle

Hidden Rebate

2015

Jaguar

XJ

$10,000

2015

Acura

RLX

$9,000

2015

Volkswagen

Touareg

$6,000

2015

Volkswagen

e-Golf

$4,250

2015

Volkswagen

Passat

$4,250

2015

Jaguar

XF

$4,000

2015

Volkswagen

CC

$4,000

2015

Mercedes-Benz

SL-Class

$3,500

2015

Volkswagen

Tiguan

$3,500

2015

Porsche

Panamera

$3,400

2015

Acura

ILX

$3,000

2015

Honda

Crosstour

$3,000

2015

Jaguar

F-TYPE

$3,000

2015

Mercedes-Benz

E-Class

$3,000

2015

Honda

Pilot

$2,750

2015

Mercedes-Benz

SLK-Class

$2,500

2015

Toyota

Prius

$2,500

2015

Toyota

Prius v

$2,250

2015

Mazda

Mazda5

$2,000

2015

Mazda

Mazda6

$2,000

2015

Mercedes-Benz

C-Class

$2,000

2015

Toyota

Avalon

$2,000

2015

Toyota

Avalon Hybrid

$2,000

2015

Toyota

Venza

$2,000

Largest Hidden Rebates: 2014 Models

Vehicle

Hidden Rebate

2014

Cadillac

ELR

$20,000

2014

Jaguar

XJ

$11,000

2014

Jaguar

XK

$11,000

2014

Acura

RLX

$9,000

2014

Audi

S8

$9,000

2014

Infiniti

Q70

$9,000

2014

Audi

A8

$8,000

2014

Cadillac

CTS

$8,000

2014

Nissan

Leaf

$7,500

2014

Jaguar

F-TYPE

$7,000

2014

Nissan

Murano CrossCabriolet

$7,000

2014

Jaguar

XF

$6,500

2014

Chevrolet

Silverado 2500HD

$6,000

2014

Chevrolet

Silverado 3500HD

$6,000

2014

Ford

Expedition

$6,000

2014

GMC

Sierra 2500HD

$6,000

2014

GMC

Sierra 3500HD

$6,000

2014

Chrysler

Town and Country

$5,750

2014

Ford

C-Max Energi

$5,500

2014

Ford

F-250 Super Duty

$5,500

2014

Ford

F-350 Super Duty

$5,500

2014

Ford

F-450 Super Duty

$5,500

2014

Ford

Taurus

$5,500

2014

Toyota

Prius Plug-in

$5,200

2014

Cadillac

ATS

$5,000

2014

Hyundai

Equus

$5,000

2014

Lexus

LS 460

$4,800

2014

Lexus

LS 600h L

$4,800

2014

Ford

Fusion Energi

$4,500

2014

Infiniti

QX70

$4,500

2014

Audi

A6

$4,000

2014

Audi

A7

$4,000

2014

Audi

S6

$4,000

2014

Audi

S7

$4,000

2014

Cadillac

XTS

$4,000

2014

Chrysler

200

$4,000

2014

Ford

Focus

$4,000

2014

GMC

Sierra 1500

$4,000

My Recommendation for Car Shoppers

TrueCar No-Haggle, Edmunds Price Promise, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.

California Residents - Important:

There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.

- Gregg Fidan

About: Gregg Fidan

Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.

If you have any tips or information that will help car buyers save money, please let me know so I can share it with everyone.Email Me Tips

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